Page Two
Editor-in-Chief - Lockhart Ledbetter
Associate Editor Laura Day
Business Manager Katherine Skinner
Assistant Business Manager Janet Kirkland
Office hours: 5:00-10:00 p.m. Monday
4:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
Telephone: 723-7961, Ext. 250 — Salemite Office
Or call 727-1421 or 727-9002
Thursday, February 20, 1975
editorial
Editor’s note: The following is one student’s views on the
proposed student Senate discussed at the last SGA
meeting. It is the feeling of the Salemite that stu
dents should be informed of both pros and cons be
fore voting for or against the proposal. We actively
encourage all discussion in this matter. Please ad
dress all letters to the editor of the Salemite and
place in the Salemite box in Main Hall mail room.
There are many positive aspects to a Senate system,
and they will soon be presented and further discussed, but
I feel that ideas in favor of our present system should be
remembered before all of us Progressive Salem Students
start to knock out what still might be a good thing, simply
for the sake of Change.
Under our present SGA system every individual has a
vote. The structure depends on every person using that
privilege. However, the question arises: Suppose people
don’t want to participate, to exercise the right to vote?
Then our system should be done away with. It is obsolete.
My question is: Have students reached the point that they
don’t give an apathetic damn about what goes on here?
I almost reached that conclusion until we had our last
SGA meeting. Suddenly, unexpectedly, there came a glim
mer of hope. At our last meeting people spoke their minds
— they said what they believed, and nobody was “planted
in the audience’’. Indifference dwindled for a few short
moments and Concern prevailed. The process of Thought
was evident on the part of those present and a shared exper
ience happened in Hanes.
For this reason I believe our present system can work.
Granted, the business at SGA meetings thus far hasn’t been
the most exciting, but certainly facets of the actual meet
ings can be altered. For example, only announcements of
immediate importance should be made, with more use made
of the announcement sheet. New constitutions or amend
ments should be posted before SGA meetings, the responsi
bility thus placed upon the students for reading them, and
then in the meetings the changes would be simply explained
and discussed. But more important, major issues, and prob
lems concerning academics, clubs. SGA, (of course, the
Refectory), and the Outside World should be discussed by
all the students. This would, I believe, bring our campus
closer together, because of the exchange of ideas within the
entire student body, as well as negating the problems we
have presently. These and other possibilities are inherent
in retaining the structure we have now.
Salem is, in addition, small enough to have an SGA as
we have it now; if we were the size of Carolina or even
UNC-G, it would be impossible. Wbat does this mean? Per
haps that here at Salem it is still possible to retain our in
dividuality, and not become just one of many.
If you have considered a Senate system, I am sure you
have considered its pros. I would like to pi’esent sorne things
I have considered. It has become evident to me just this
year the fact that unless you are involved in change or are
present when change occurs, that you do not realize what
went into effecting something different, (ie. We can’t im
agine not having self-scheduling exams, wearing skirts to
class, not smoking in our rooms, or not intervisiting.)
Pretty soon, these privileges are taken for granted, and
then often abused. I believe there is a possibility that a
Senate system would be really great — but for how long?
Four or five years? Would representatives who did not ex
perience the change in this system take it as seriously as
would those who have considered it thoroughly, its pros and
cons, and strived to make it work initially? Would these
people in five, ten years from now make a sincere effort to
present the opinions of those they represent?
It is also possible that a Senate member, in presenting
to her constituency the issues and details of meeting discus
sions, does not convey the entire issue accurately. This is
simply a possibility, but it happens. However, if she takes
her job seriously, this is unlikely . . . just something to
think about.
I admit, these points have their counterpoints, but I
maintain that our present system can work. Many people
suggested knocking out the quorum at meetings. It sounds
like people want the right and privilege to vote, but not
the responsibility that goes with it. In addition, if we delete
the quorum, we begin to break down the system we have
now. We do indeed “free disinterested students from the
horrible burden of SGA meetings,’’ but we also begin a
deterioration of the organization we have. Without a quo
rum, how long will it be b e f o r e even a simple majority
doesn’t show because they think the other half will?
So what does that leave us? It leaves us with no com
promise. Either a Senate system or SGA. For yourself as
well as for Salemites in years to come, think about it. The
choice is yours.
An Interested Student
TH^ SAL^MIT^
Letter to
The Editor
Dear Editor:
Ron Hudson, a Spanish guitar
ist was one of the four Lecture-
Assembly speakers this year for
Salem College. He came on Feb
ruary 3,1975 playing classical and
flamenco music. In case you are
not sure exactly when Ron Hud
son came, it was the Monday
over January Break. (Approxi
mately thirty-five students were
on campus.) Upon inquiring fur
ther, I found out that the sched
ule was set last year and a
contract had been signed. There
fore, we could not cancel. But, we
could have rescheduled the pro-
Thursday, Febr
20, 1975
The Idiot and the Oddityi
By Marilyn Turner and Sherrin Gardner
My seat was in upright position, my seatbelt was
ed, and my hands were playing white knuckles on the
arm
rests as our charter plane glided in for a smooth
and taxied towards the main terminal at Greensb
port. I had been a courteous passenger up to this noint
when that plane touched the runway, I immediat ’
ged loose the seatbelt and stood in my seat to fetch mv '
and scarf from the rack above. The stewardess onlv
-v» V\V' 1 m O -»T rVT "Pryv* Vvrr •i-'U J* J n&f
to reprimand me once, however, for by the timeThe
a
t
most in my throat, to be ^exact), eyes beaming, and moutlil
politely told me to return to my seat, I had what
had put it all on, had gathered my precious parcels ,
ready to depart. All systems were go— heartbeat
fast, respiration in short shallow breaths, digestion
wanted
and waJ
up
gram.
When the chairman of the
committee was confronted with
this prospect, he informed me
they had tried but had been un
able to get in touch with Mr.
Hudson during the month of
January.
Everyone I have talked with
said the program was quite good.
There is some talk about having
him back next year so the stu
dents can enjoy the concert. May
be next year he can “meet with
some classes” like the announce
ment sheet said. It will only cost
an additional $359.00 to have him
back.
Katherine Skinner
running smoothly. I could just imagine all my fang
there, craning their necks to find who would spot me 1
“There she is—the one in the wrinkled coat” or “That’s hf l
the one with the kilt, scarf and ski sweaters on,” or “The*'
she is—the one with the stringy hair.” It got a little depres
sing the more I thought about how I would appear to their
after a month, until I looked around in the plane and sai\
numerous string heads of hair, copious kilt, ski sweater!
and scarf combinations, and a plethora of wrinkled coats
They would spot me regardless of all the others tl
because I would be the one with the smile. There they
be as I emerged from the plane’s exit and paused next to!
the stewardess at the top of the stairway ramp . . . Mother
Daddy, Nonnie, Hedge, Stephen, David, and several friends
from school to boot. At least six pairs of gloved handi
frantically waving as I grinned in recognition, the breezi
waving my scarf in a return gesture. And then I’d stui
down the steps and into their arms, only to be squeezed
kissed and showered with questions.
S. G. A.
Questionnaire
Incites Comments
1. Do you read your announce
ment sheet?
Yes — 96.3%
No-0.16%
Sometimes — 2.1%
2. What would make Student
Government meetings more bene
ficial to you?
PREVALENT COMMENTS:
Start on time
No required attendance
Abolish meetings
Strict attendance policy enforced
More student participation
More organization and less
announcements
More detailed information on
events
Announcements read by one
person
Do away with reading
constitutions
Can’t force student interest
Better publicizing of meetings
Shorter and to the point
Not required unless important
voting
Less trivial
SUGGESTIONS:
Publicize key issues before
meetings by newsletter
More student discussion of issues;
get more students involved
Have speaker on a certain topic
come
Student discussion on previously
announced topic
3. As an alternative to the
present structure of Student Gov
ernment, we have been consid
ering changing to a Senate This
would mean that a small segment
of students would represent you
in making ALL decisions con
cerning the student body.
Making such a radical change
will entail revamping the entire
system. However, if you feel that
me present structure of SGA is
inadequate, it merits serious con
sideration on the part of everv
student. ^
How does this idea strike you?
PREVALENT COMMENTS:
Kppn 43.67%
Keep SGA as is: 25.9%
Make changes in present
system: 15.96%
Abstentions: 6.33%
Want to know more: 5 72%
Noncommittal: 2.40% °
(Continued on Case Tliree)
“Miss, will you please move your package. You’re
ing the aisle,” the stewardess said politely again,
with a hint of agitation in her voice. Our group
slowly forward, leaning more than actually moving, as thel
exit cleared and the mobile stairway rolled into place. Asl
we began to inch out of the front exit past the neatly dressJ
ed stewardesses who had taken the convenient opportunitjl
to freshen their make-up and comb their hair before
ing, apprehension gripped my arm and held me temporarily,]
But quickly I broke away and stepped out onto the ramp.
There were no waving masses there, only a black side
walk. And I suddenly found my coat and sweatersi
scarves a bit unnecessary in the '70° kite-flying weatherj
Nevertheless, I hurried through the glass door into
terminal where I saw them . . . millions of them, parents,]
friends, siblings, boyfriends ... a whole silent film of ea
people separated from me by a glass partition. And t
suddenly, a square segment of the glass wall opened
the sound rushed out like a sonic boom. I walked
the mass of manic mamas, hoping to see my fan club atj
any time. But they weren’t there. I couldn’t find them any-j
where. “Mama,” I called out, and six near-by mamas turned|
to stare at me as strangers.
Just as the tears began to well in my eyes, I felt a
friendly tap on my shoulder. “They’re over there,” she said,
“Your mother’s looking for you.” I followed her line of di
rection and found my mother and grandmother still craning
their necks to see if I remained on the plane. I tapped Mama
on the back and hugged her warmly, went to find Nonnie,
who still hadn’t seen me, and then sat down to wait form)'
luggage. After all of the anticipation, after the brief
nioment of disappointment at being without fans at the
airport and after the relief of finding them, it was most
pleasant to just sit with the ones I loved. 'The best pan
about going away is always coming home. Welcome home,
Salemites!
On March 5 the YWCA will con
duct their annual auction. Pre
sented during dinner, the Y will
be selling dinners, trips and bake
goods, all donateil by Salem fac
ulty and administration,
ceeds from the auction go tc
World University Service, w
received $600 from last y(
auction.
Editorial Staff
Editor j,, Warner
Feature Editor Marilyn Turner
Assistant News Editor Betty Massey
Assistant Feature Editor Claudia Lane
, Editor Sally Jordan
Layout Editor pg^^y Lester
Head ines Editor Avery Kincaid
Headlines Assistants Marilyn Mycoff
ni . Duncan
Photographers Ann Pitt
rj.. . , Kiki French
tditorial Contributor Beecher Mathes
Mrs. J. W. Edwards
the SALEMITE is the Uncensored Voice
T the Salem Community.
Business Staff
Boenci'
Circulation Manager ^
DPitg s^lly Jordi"
Sally
Janet SoS
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